50 bab ballads-第3节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
I've prophesied correctly； never doubt it；
Now tell me mine … and please be quick about it！
You … only you … can tell me； an' you will；
To whom I'm destined shortly to be mated；
Will she run up a heavy MODISTE'S bill？
If so； I want to hear her income stated
（This is a point which interests me greatly）。
To quote the bard； 〃Oh！ have I seen her lately？〃
Say； must I wait till husband number one
Is comfortably stowed away at Woking？
How is her hair most usually done？
And tell me； please； will she object to smoking？
The colour of her eyes； too； you may mention：
Come； Sibyl； prophesy … I'm all attention。
Ballad： SIR MACKLIN。
OF all the youths I ever saw
None were so wicked； vain； or silly；
So lost to shame and Sabbath law；
As worldly TOM； and BOB； and BILLY。
For every Sabbath day they walked
（Such was their gay and thoughtless natur）
In parks or gardens； where they talked
From three to six； or even later。
SIR MACKLIN was a priest severe
In conduct and in conversation；
It did a sinner good to hear
Him deal in ratiocination。
He could in every action show
Some sin； and nobody could doubt him。
He argued high； he argued low；
He also argued round about him。
He wept to think each thoughtless youth
Contained of wickedness a skinful；
And burnt to teach the awful truth；
That walking out on Sunday's sinful。
〃Oh； youths；〃 said he； 〃I grieve to find
The course of life you've been and hit on …
Sit down；〃 said he； 〃and never mind
The pennies for the chairs you sit on。
〃My opening head is 'Kensington；'
How walking there the sinner hardens；
Which when I have enlarged upon；
I go to 'Secondly' … its 'Gardens。'
〃My 'Thirdly' comprehendeth 'Hyde；'
Of Secresy the guilts and shameses；
My 'Fourthly' … 'Park' … its verdure wide …
My 'Fifthly' comprehends 'St。 James's。'
〃That matter settled； I shall reach
The 'Sixthly' in my solemn tether；
And show that what is true of each；
Is also true of all； together。
〃Then I shall demonstrate to you；
According to the rules of WHATELY；
That what is true of all； is true
Of each； considered separately。〃
In lavish stream his accents flow；
TOM； BOB； and BILLY dare not flout him；
He argued high； he argued low；
He also argued round about him。
〃Ha； ha！〃 he said； 〃you loathe your ways；
You writhe at these my words of warning；
In agony your hands you raise。〃
（And so they did； for they were yawning。）
To 〃Twenty…firstly〃 on they go；
The lads do not attempt to scout him；
He argued high； he argued low；
He also argued round about him。
〃Ho； ho！〃 he cries； 〃you bow your crests …
My eloquence has set you weeping；
In shame you bend upon your breasts！〃
（And so they did； for they were sleeping。）
He proved them this … he proved them that …
This good but wearisome ascetic；
He jumped and thumped upon his hat；
He was so very energetic。
His Bishop at this moment chanced
To pass； and found the road encumbered；
He noticed how the Churchman danced；
And how his congregation slumbered。
The hundred and eleventh head
The priest completed of his stricture；
〃Oh； bosh！〃 the worthy Bishop said；
And walked him off as in the picture。
Ballad： THE YARN OF THE 〃NANCY BELL。〃 （1）
'TWAS on the shores that round our coast
From Deal to Ramsgate span；
That I found alone on a piece of stone
An elderly naval man。
His hair was weedy； his beard was long；
And weedy and long was he；
And I heard this wight on the shore recite；
In a singular minor key：
〃Oh； I am a cook and a captain bold；
And the mate of the NANCY brig；
And a bo'sun tight； and a midshipmite；
And the crew of the captain's gig。〃
And he shook his fists and he tore his hair；
Till I really felt afraid；
For I couldn't help thinking the man had been drinking；
And so I simply said：
〃Oh； elderly man； it's little I know
Of the duties of men of the sea；
And I'll eat my hand if I understand
However you can be
〃At once a cook； and a captain bold；
And the mate of the NANCY brig；
And a bo'sun tight； and a midshipmite；
And the crew of the captain's gig。〃
Then he gave a hitch to his trousers； which
Is a trick all seamen larn；
And having got rid of a thumping quid；
He spun this painful yarn：
〃'Twas in the good ship NANCY BELL
That we sailed to the Indian Sea；
And there on a reef we come to grief；
Which has often occurred to me。
〃And pretty nigh all the crew was drowned
（There was seventy…seven o' soul）；
And only ten of the NANCY'S men
Said 'Here！' to the muster…roll。
〃There was me and the cook and the captain bold；
And the mate of the NANCY brig；
And the bo'sun tight； and a midshipmite；
And the crew of the captain's gig。
〃For a month we'd neither wittles nor drink；
Till a…hungry we did feel；
So we drawed a lot； and； accordin' shot
The captain for our meal。
〃The next lot fell to the NANCY'S mate；
And a delicate dish he made；
Then our appetite with the midshipmite
We seven survivors stayed。
〃And then we murdered the bo'sun tight；
And he much resembled pig；
Then we wittled free； did the cook and me；
On the crew of the captain's gig。
〃Then only the cook and me was left；
And the delicate question； 'Which
Of us two goes to the kettle？' arose；
And we argued it out as sich。
〃For I loved that cook as a brother； I did；
And the cook he worshipped me；
But we'd both be blowed if we'd either be stowed
In the other chap's hold； you see。
〃'I'll be eat if you dines off me；' says TOM；
'Yes； that；' says I； 'you'll be； …
'I'm boiled if I die； my friend；' quoth I；
And 'Exactly so；' quoth he。
〃Says he； 'Dear JAMES； to murder me
Were a foolish thing to do；
For don't you see that you can't cook ME；
While I can … and will … cook YOU！'
〃So he boils the water； and takes the salt
And the pepper in portions true
（Which he never forgot）； and some chopped shalot。
And some sage and parsley too。
〃'Come here；' says he； with a proper pride；
Which his smiling features tell；
''T will soothing be if I let you see
How extremely nice you'll smell。'
〃And he stirred it round and round and round；
And he sniffed at the foaming froth；
When I ups with his heels； and smothers his squeals
In the scum of the boiling broth。
〃And I eat that cook in a week or less；
And … as I eating be
The last of his chops； why； I almost drops；
For a wessel in sight I see！
* * * *
〃And I never larf； and I never smile；
And I never lark nor play；
But sit and croak； and a single joke
I have … which is to say：
〃Oh； I am a cook and a captain bold；
And the mate of the NANCY brig；
And a bo'sun tight； and a midshipmite；
And the crew of the captain's gig！'〃
Ballad： THE BISHOP OF RUM…TI…FOO。
FROM east and south the holy clan
Of Bishops gathered to a man；
To Synod； called Pan…Anglican；
In flocking crowds they came。
Among them was a Bishop； who
Had lately been appointed to
The balmy isle of Rum…ti…Foo；
And PETER was his name。
His people … twenty…three in sum …
They played the eloquent tum…tum；
And lived on scalps served up； in rum …
The only sauce they knew。
When first good BISHOP PETER came
（For PETER was that Bishop's name）；
To humour them； he did the same
As they of Rum…ti…Foo。
His flock； I've often heard him tell；
（His name was PETER） loved him well；
And； summoned by the sound of bell；
In crowds together came。
〃Oh； massa； why you go away？
Oh； MASSA PETER； please to stay。〃
（They called him PETER； people say；
Because it was his name。）
He told them all good boys to be；
And sailed away across the sea；
At London Bridge that Bishop he
Arrived one Tuesday night；
And as that night he homeward strode
To his Pan…Anglican abode；
He passed along the Borough Road；
And saw a gruesome sight。
He saw a crowd assembled round
A person dancing on the ground；
Who straight began to leap and bound
With all his might and main。
To see that dancing man he stopped；
Who twirled and wriggled； skipped and hopped；
Then down incontinently dropped；
And then sprang up again。
The Bishop chuckled at the sight。
〃This style of dancing would delight
A simple Rum…ti…Foozleite。
I'll learn it if I can；
To please the tribe when I get back。〃
He begged the man to teach his knack。
〃Right Reverend Sir； in half a crack！
Replied that dancing man。
The dancing man he worked away；
And taught the Bishop every day …
The dancer skipped like any fay …
Good PETER did the same。
The Bishop buckled to his task；
With BATTEMENTS； and PAS DE BASQUE。
（I'll tell you； if you care to ask；
That PETER was his name。）
〃Come； walk like this；〃 the dancer said；
〃Stick out your toes … stick in your head；
Stalk on with quick； galva
